


Peachy and Choco

by R_ATIN



Category: SB19 (Band)
Genre: Alpha Felip Jhon Suson | Ken, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Anal Sex, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Minor Violence, Non-Consensual Groping, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Josh Cullen Santos, Omegaverse, coffee shop owner Ken, gamer Josh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:06:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28730919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_ATIN/pseuds/R_ATIN
Summary: Alpha Ken visits Josh, the Omega he courts, on Christmas day. Finding himself stranded in the Omega's condo when a storm suddenly brews in and nothing else to do, they drink and dance the night away. The alpha wakes up naked the next morning, in Josh's bed, with a mating mark glowing on his neck.But of course, we start from the beginning.
Relationships: Josh Cullen Santos/Felip Jhon Suson | Ken
Comments: 33
Kudos: 100





	1. Choco Chikin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JOkerS](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JOkerS/gifts).



> Hello! Wow, okay, I have another new fic and I'm crossing my fingers that I can finish this on or before JoKen's first year anniversary. It's another Omegaverse, yey! And it's commissioned once again; huge thanks to @/GoingUpwSB19 for this. This was intended to be a 3k-worded one shot only. But since I'm pretty bad at sticking to what was agreed (because I'm marupok like that), I let myself be carried away once again and tadah! It ended up being another multi-chaptered fic. No surprises there anymore, I guess? LMAO. But don't expect this to be THAT long. I have a ton of pending fics that really need attention. Anyway, I'll do my best with this one. Enjoy!

It was just any other day in Ken’s book.

That morning was remotely sunny, but not humid. In fact, the breeze was rather cool and pleasant to the skin, and it was that particular weather when the sky was a picturesque blue, and when one’s taste buds would typically yearn for something warm and sweet; such as a slice of cheesecake and a mug of hot chocolate, perhaps? Fiddle around their humble café’s homely couch al fresco, while listening to some refreshing acoustic beats and where maple leaves began to bloom into reddish yellow hues; or just take a sip of your warm beverage while small birds perch on their handmade nesting boxes, hanging by the huge acacia tree that provided ample shade on the shop’s rustic porch.

And Ken was right because it didn’t take long before people started lining up at their shop to get a few bites and shots of caffeine.

Ken became busy, so to speak, but he didn’t complain. He had always loved his job, especially fixing his customers’ diverse preferences of sweets and drinks. But his favorite would be serving them the classic holiday hot chocolate; the one with mocha and peppermint, topped with whipped cream and dark chocolate bits. It was his personal choice because he thought it was the drink that was closest to his own Alpha scent; bittersweet rich dark chocolate with subtle hints of spicy mint. Or at least that was what his employees, and even some friendly customers, often told him so.

The day rolled by rather swiftly and probably just a few minutes away from closing the shop that afternoon when the bell chimed, and the glass door swung open; a gentle gust of air carried a sweet, freshly-picked peach scent over to Ken’s post at the register. He took several deep breaths, instantly feeling tipsy and weak in the knees. Once he opened his eyes, he was welcomed by the gaze of the most beautiful Omega he had ever seen.

At the door stood a petite, raven-haired boy with impossibly soft features, full scarlet lips and sultry, purple irises. He looked around for a bit before walking elegantly to the counter while toying with the folds of his cream-colored sweater that looked about twice the size of his body frame; his tiny fingers peeking adorably through the sleeves. The subtle beam of sunlight from the doorway seemed to follow the Omega’s every step, he looked as though he was glowing, especially when he swept a stray clump of hair and tucked it behind his ear. _Oh, gods,_ his lilac orbs looked even more luminous when he was that close to Ken.

He didn’t know if he could ever admit it, but Ken just had to breathe in deeper and once he had gotten a nose-full of his scent, he might probably have dropped onto the tiled floor if he wasn’t gripping enough against his counter.

The young alpha must have been wandering out of his headspace because the Omega’s lips were moving and knew he was speaking to him, but then again, Ken couldn’t make anything out of it other than dead air.

“Hey, mister?” the lovely Omega had called, waving his tiny palm over Ken’s face, and damn, even his voice was pretty. “Are you alright?”

Ken blinked. “I — Huh?”

“Your eyes,” the Omega pointed a finger to Ken’s eyes, perplexed. “Your eyes just, wow—they changed color, huh.”

It took Ken a moment to process the situation and when he did, a surge of panic ripped through him. His eye color changed? In front of this lovely Omega?

“Oh, snap! I—“, Ken ran his fingers through the white silver strands of his hair. “I’m so sorry about that. Uhh, w-what color are they now?”

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he roughly gripped on the hem of his shirt in unease, almost tearing the stitching. It could be bad, it could be NOT SO bad; but either way, exposing his vulnerability as carelessly as that was never good to begin with. His eye color could involuntarily transcend from silver to some very specific tones, all of which entirely depend on the gravity of the emotional conditions he was in. That was one attribute unique to purebred bloodlines alone, such as the pack he was born into.

“Oh, uhm. Gold?” answered the smaller man. “Looks golden to me.”

Ken sighed and chuckled in relief. For a second there, he was afraid his eyes might have turned sangria red, the shade of desire, although it had never happened to him before and he quite never understood how it would’ve felt. But the thought of his eyes turning gold made him blush instead. That only meant his Alpha was exceedingly attracted to this beautiful Omega. But then again, he wouldn’t even dare question that for this sure was the most stunning human in his lifetime. His taut muscles began to relax.

“T-thanks. Sorry about that again,” smiled Ken timidly. “So uhm, what can I get you?”

“Ah, yeah, I’ll have some—“

The Omega paused mid-sentence when Ken stopped him, the younger’s eyes wide and hands flailing in front of him. Ken wanted to coo when the pretty little thing tilted his head to one side, looking like a lost puppy. The alpha was fairly aware of how stupid he must have looked now, obviously not a delightful first impression. He mentally groaned.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t said my spiel. Let me start over.” Ken cleared his throat and adjusted the collar of his shirt, head held high and a confident grin splitting on his face. “Welcome to _Choco Chikin!_ May I get your order?”

The Omega stood silent for a moment before bursting into a fit of giggles. _And oh my gods_ , it sounded like a lullaby to Ken’s ears. His chest wanted to explode even more so when the smaller boy displayed what very likely was the most adorable bunny smile in the world. Ken’s cheeks turned pink.

“Okay, Okay, that was cute and funny,” the purple-eyed boy beamed at him, wiping his eyes with a delicate finger. “Anyway, so I’d like some large Classic Hot Chocolate please, and a slice of carrot walnut cake, to-go.”

That was a fairly nice combination and an unusual one too, because if anything, his carrot walnut cake just might be the least selling product among everything else, Ken thought. He smiled with that in mind as he punched in the orders at his register with proficient speed.

“Anything else?” Ken chirped brightly and the boy shook his head, smiling. “That would be 300 bucks. Thank you.”

As the shorter boy handed the bill over to Ken, he busied himself looking through the catalog of meals and drinks hanging above Ken’s head. “Do you offer any chicken meals, by any chance?” he asked politely. “Because I can’t seem to find them in your menu.”

Ken quickly glimpsed at the menu board above and smiled.

“Ah, nope,” he answered, shelling out a wad of smaller bills for change. “We don’t, sorry.”

“Oh, okay. I just—” the Omega shrugged. “Why would you name a shop Choco Chikin if you don’t offer chikin?”

The corner of Ken’s lips twitched as he tried to stifle a smile, somehow expecting the question because he might just have been thrown similar questions every other day by every new client that discovered his shop. But as unnecessary (or inappropriately) as the idea that suddenly popped in his head seemed, Ken figured he could use the subject to prolong the conversation with this pretty Omega. _Forget about closing the shop, he owned it anyways._

He cleared his throat and thought about how his other Alpha friends would act around the Omegas they flirt with and perhaps, he could pull off such tricks. He leaned over the counter, propping his elbow against the cold surface, and almost choked at how close he was to the beautiful Omega’s face.

“Because I can,” said Ken humourlessly as he bored his gaze into the Omega’s own, unwittingly using a voice so dark and commanding that it was almost bordering on his Alpha voice. Ken’s golden irises swirled a little, not knowing it was transcending into a duskier shade, barely halting at a dark orange hue.

The Omega fell quiet for a second, tiny whimpers brushing past his lips, appearing to resist potential submission to an unknown alpha.

Suddenly, the air smelled even sweeter.

The potent scent of seasoned peaches reached past Ken’s nostrils that thankfully knocked him out of his half-conscious state, realizing what he had just done, and his eyes widened in horror. He was definitely screwed and the Omega would certainly despise him for this. _So much for amateur flirting,_ Ken scolded himself mentally.

“Gods, I—, I’m very sorry,” Ken stammered, pressing his palms together in front of his chest to plead. _“I am, so, so, sorry. I didn’t know what I was thinking. I’m terribly sorry. You were just so pretty and you smelled so sweet, I can taste the peaches in my mouth, oh my gods. And your eyes are so purple and your skin is glowing and—”_

The Omega waved a hand to dismiss his blabbering and Ken did stop rambling despite the frantic howling of his wolf against his chest; but then the Omega chuckled, his eyes turning into adorable half-moons as they squished into the rise of his cheekbones. Ken did expect some sort of reaction from the beautiful boy, but not this kind, by all means.

“It’s alright. Don’t worry about it,” the Omega assured Ken with a smile, but the tinge of pink in his cheeks certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

“No, it was discourteous and inappropriate of me. Please accept my apologies.”

“Well, it’s not like the first time I was randomly hit on by a stranger,” the smaller shrugged as he explained. “But okay. Apology accepted.”

The pink in the Omega’s soft-looking skin only deepened, and it only made the attraction pooling in Ken’s stomach impossibly strong. Although he must admit, the thought of having the Omega walking in the streets alone on an ordinary day, unprotected, had Ken’s wolf on edge. He was convinced that the Omega did not have an Alpha for there were no traces of an Alpha scent lingering around him whatsoever; thus the possibilities of strangers lurking around such an immaculate creature wasn’t unlikely, and that idea didn’t sit well with the young Alpha. It made him want to be there and make him feel safe at all costs.

Only when the Omega stepped away from the counter and moved to the opposite end, where the orders were being served, did Ken realize how he fell, yet again, on another daze. _Ah, this Omega was certainly doing strange things to him._

The young Alpha swiftly worked on his orders and shyly handed the paper cup and another paper bag to the raven-haired male, attentively observing the Omega as he curled his lips around the straw of his beverage and took a sip, letting a particularly attractive moan of satisfaction as the warm drink slid down his throat.

The Omega smiled and Ken turned horribly red. But it didn’t stop there, because Ken inadvertently hitched a breath when the smaller male leaned closer to him and breathed him in.

Ken’s scent spiked so hard that a wave of heady dark chocolate filled the space.

“Uhm hmm. You smell so much like this drink, I see,” the Omega teased, slowly turning on his heels to make his way to the door. “By the way, it’s Josh.”

Ken blinked.

“My name’s Josh”, he repeated, wriggling the paper cup on his hand. “You were too dazed that you forgot to ask the name for my cup,” he paused to look at the taller boy’s nameplate. “Ken.”

And Ken blushed another time, wondering if he could be any redder. His gaze followed Josh as he marched to the glass door, his delicate hands gripping on the steel handle and yanking it open, the immediate flow of breeze whisking one final rush of the Omega’s sweet peach scent.

Josh stopped, turning to Ken one last time, and the young Alpha felt the surge of heat in his body as he watched Josh’s eyes turn dark gold for a fleeting moment. Then he disappeared outside, leaving Ken frozen in his spot.

Ken knew he was done for.


	2. SMOOCH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ken just couldn't stop thinking about the pretty, purple-eyed Omega. Until one fateful day in the streets, the Takoyakis made a way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, having trouble with writer's block lately. I'm not really satisfied with how this chapter turned out, felt like I could've written this better. I'm so sorry. I'll try better next chapter. But I still hope you like this somehow.
> 
> **Also, unproofed and non-beta read**

Another autumn day, another nine hours at Choco Chikin had wrapped up pretty well. To celebrate the rather fruitful shift, Ken thought it would be a great idea to reward himself by chilling at the porch with a nice warm mug of Salted Caramel Latte. Apart from dark chocolate, which was obviously his bias, Ken just enjoys Caramel all year round, but he’s practically obsessed about it during Fall. He believed it sweetens his coffee perfectly that he could completely forgo the sugar.

Looking out the window, he realized it was already getting late, if the slowly tainting of purple across the skies and the jeweled stars suspended among the billows of clouds were any indication. It had been a couple of hours since they closed the store, but he and his best friend Stell, a Beta who works at Ken’s café, had been far too absorbed with their weekly inventory report that they had totally lost track of time.

After convincing Stell to take a break and have him fix whatever beverage he liked as a treat, Ken already made his way out the glass door. With a mug on one hand and a plate of cookies on the other, he settled himself on one of the quietest corners of the café’s rustic porch, where a wooden couch huddled with several cream-colored pillows and blankets sturdily hanged, and two grey-clothed bean bag chairs lay in front where Ken chose to rest his tired legs on. A makeshift curtain made of fairy lights adorned the back of the couch, making the atmosphere instantly restful and carefree.

He sighed and tilted his neck from side to side until satisfying cracks made him moan a little. Finally, Ken was already sipping from his warm mug when the wind bells chimed, making him throw a quick glimpse at Stell, who was moving along toward Ken with a glass of Strawberry Milk in his hand. While it was obviously Stell’s default beverage, Ken thought it odd because a chilly autumn night and an ice-cold drink didn’t really seem to go together properly.

“Aren’t you cold?” asked Ken, eyeing the cold beverage in his best friend’s grip.

Stell shrugged. “I am. That’s why I’m on two layers of woolen sweater.”

“You’re the weirdest.”

The red-haired Beta stuck his tongue out to Ken and continued drinking before he spoke again, slumping lazily against the couch with a deep inhale. Chilled air instantly filled his lungs.

“Your Omega didn’t come today?”

“His name is Josh, and no, he didn’t,” Ken scowled, although he must admit his wolf felt warmly pleased at the sound of “his Omega” and silently wished that was indeed the case. “Why’d you have to remind me? Now my Alpha’s feeling down again. I can hear him whimpering.”

“It was an innocent question,” Stell defended. “But who knows? He might’ve just found another shop where no weird Alpha’s creepily ogling at him while he tries to eat a cupcake in peace.”

“Hey, I was NOT creepily ogling at him. I just know how to appreciate such beauty.”

Stell snorted as he continued drinking his treat. “You should talk to him, you know, instead of freaking the poor boy out.”

“Stop making it sound like I’m a dirtbag,” Ken pouted. “And we do talk. I mean, sometimes.”

“Kenji, I’m pretty sure those strange little noises you make behind my back each time Josh orders don’t count as talking.”

Ken felt the need to justify himself but discovered he couldn’t even formulate a sensible thought. There wasn’t anything the young Alpha could do other than frown and stare at the half-full mug between his cold hands, because to be honest, Stell was right. And as much as he hated to admit, he does feel like a pervert sometimes, now realizing how he should probably stop thinking so much about the beautiful Omega.

He wasn’t even quite sure whether Josh was already taken. It’s not like he’s in any position to ask for confirmation, so Ken just _satisfied_ himself by stealing quick glimpses for any mating marks on Josh’s neck, but even that one was no painless task since the Omega practically wore fuzzy, turtle neck sweaters all the time; ones that covered him from the chin up to nearly half of his thighs. Plus those cute, chubby little fingers peeking through the sleeves that pretty much looked like kitten paws? These had Ken imagining being dragged along the length of his back, creating delicate scratches on his skin.

It was so beautifully strange as well, how the sunlight relentlessly followed Josh’s every step, making him looking entirely like an ethereal delusion, as though he was glowing, particularly when he so graciously blesses everyone with his gorgeous, bunny-like smile.

_Ugh!_

Why did he have to be so enchanting with the soft, lavender shade of his eyes, smooth and luminous skin that made the tips of Ken’s fingers tingle? Oh not to mention, that sweet-smelling scent? Just thinking about his peach scent made Ken’s mouth water. He couldn’t believe a scent so rich and compelling could even exist; he could almost taste it at the cusp of his tongue.

“Ken—“

The silver-haired Alpha absently licked his lips, imagining the heady scent and taste of peaches he could revel on by the crook of Josh’s neck where his scent gland was. If he were given such a chance, as preposterous as it seemed, he would dive right onto that scent gland and maybe never come up for air ever again. _Perfect_ , Ken thought, such would be a life well spent.

“Felip Jhon—“

Josh was such an impeccable Omega. Aside from the fact that he’s very pretty, he was quite witty as well, not to mention the subtle naughtiness that made Ken think back to their first meeting where both of their wolves changed their respective eye colors to the shade of sexual attraction without any bouts of hesitation. That sparked hope in Ken that perhaps, he had a fair chance with the Omega though he couldn’t be too complacent. Because it was frankly difficult to think that such beauty couldn’t be mated, nor taken by another Alpha of equal level, at the very least.

_“FELIP JHON SUSON!”_ the high-pitched yell from Stell coupled with a loud _WHACK!_ on Ken’s head woke him up with a startle. “You’re out of radar again. What the hell were you thinking about this time? You even licked your lips. How immodest!”

Ken was rubbing the back of his head where the Beta’s palm landed roughly, badly resisting the urge to smack his best friend back, but once again, Stell was right. He had fallen, time and again, into the pool of his pitiable reveries that were dangerously borderline obscene. He must have deserved that beating after all.

“I’m suffering here and you’re not helping. You’re supposed to be my best friend!”

“Will you quit whining you big puppy? You’re giving me migraines,” grumbled Stell, dragging a cold hand across his face. “It’s only as bad you make it, you know? Just open your mouth and start talking like an Alpha. Serve him a hot choco in that bunny mug you just bought and get him a bigger slice of that cake he orders all the time. Tell him it’s an open bar, that’s it!”

Ken huffed, head swarming with all the information the pretty Beta just fed him. Could he really do that? Could it really be that easy? Thinking about it already made him feel queasy but it did sound reasonable. He wanted to press Stell for further advice when a tall and lean young man, who certainly looked like an Alpha but surprisingly didn’t smell like one, arrived and stood by the porch, waving timidly at Stell.

“Oh, Paulo’s here already,” Stell began as he untied his apron and readied to get up.

“Isn’t he one of our regulars?” Ken’s eyebrows curled in the middle when Stell nodded. “You didn’t tell me you were seeing someone.”

“Well, now you know. Besides, we only started going out last week.”

“I can’t smell him. That’s odd.”

“You can’t because he’s also a Beta. It’s always good when you can switch, yeah? Anyway, he’s taking me to that new sushi bar across town. I’ll text you later.” Stell leaned in to plant a quick peck on Ken’s forehead and off they went with a small wave of farewell.

He followed them by gaze until they were no longer visible by the time they could turn around the other street. While Ken was more than elated for his best friend, having found someone to make him happy, he couldn’t help but feel just a teeny weeny bit miserable, but he knew there was nobody else to put the blame on other than himself.

It was crazy how unbelievably fast things moved around that it was almost awfully melodramatic. Had someone asked him three weeks ago about having an Omega by his side, he would’ve laughed it off as ridiculous.

All along, he thought he didn’t need an Omega to be happy, confident by the fact that he and his wolf felt content by the success of his well-loved business and being surrounded by delightful friends. He was young and free and it was all he ever needed; Until Josh came along and discovered he couldn’t turn away from those lavender eyes that seemed to hold him. They were deep, intense, yet soft and enthralling, a shade so rare that it sparked something in Ken akin to warmth. And his wolf, his Alpha, he heard him for the first time ever and his entire existence zeroed in on the Omega and seemed to whisper, “ _it’s_ _Him…”._

Ken felt like Josh was always meant to be his, lost somewhere in space and time, and all he needed to do was find him. But it was Josh who found him instead.

That particular autumn night, nothing else invaded Ken’s mind other than _oh shit._

*

One busy Monday at nearly two in the afternoon, the weather was a little too humid for Fall. Ken was frantic behind the counter as a sudden throng of customers dropped by his shop almost progressively. While the volume of orders was manageable somehow, it didn’t help that Ken had just recently put up an announcement that they’re now open for deliveries. At the moment, he’s preparing a large cup of Pumpkin Spice Latte for that sweet, little old lady Omega who lived alone just around the block.

It would take him approximately eight minutes to reach the apartment address she provided, so that’s another eight minutes going back, which also meant he had to leave Stell and Ria, a female Alpha who Ken recently hired, to handle the swarm of clients during that period. He had to move fast.

“Ken, aren’t you done with that yet? Need help?” Ria had asked, obviously catching him getting distracted again.

Hiring another Alpha wasn’t the best idea. He could remember the first time he interviewed the young girl and both of them instantly growled at each other the moment she stepped inside the café. Her thick lemon and nutmeg scent filled the room, one that made Ken’s Alpha snarl threateningly, protectively standing in front of Stell and his silver eyes glowing crimson in a snap.

Two alphas in a single room spelled trouble; he wouldn’t have hired her if not for her impressive credentials in baking and pastry that Ken knew he needed badly. So it was a yes, and the knowledge that she was already a mated Alpha somehow cleared the air between them. But it didn’t change the fact that she could be really assertive sometimes, bossing Ken around when the silver-eyed Alpha’s losing it again during working hours, like now. Maybe Ken needed it after all.

“Hush! I can do this.” Ken bit his lip in concentration as he tied a sizeable red ribbon around the cup.

Ria rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Just get back quickly.”

“Wow,” Ken grumbled. “This is MY coffee shop.”

“She’s right though,” Stell shrugged as he moved from one machine to another. “Now get along before that drink gets cold.”

“You’re all annoying.”

And Ken was out of the door not long after, leaving a trail of rich dark chocolate and peppermint scent in his wake.

*

Shoving both hands into the back pocket of his jeans, Ken smugly whistled along the way back to his shop. He was able to deliver the drink to the sweet old lady and even earned a generous tip and a pat on his hair that put him in a rather good mood. It wasn’t so bad, he guessed, but then he remembered Stell and Ria and realized he should be putting on a spurt. His pace quickened, letting the slowly cooling breeze sway his hair back. It felt pleasant, and he must’ve enjoyed it a little too much when he closed his eyes for a brief moment to inhale a mouthful of air, at the same time someone was rushing out of the narrow path meeting Ken’s and _BAM!_ —

“OW! Who the f—Ken?!”

Ken, being the tall and muscular creature that he was, didn’t even flinch a little when the tiny Omega sprinting from the narrow path on the side tripped and slammed onto him, although he could pretty much feel that some of the air in his chest got knocked out by the impact. Instinctively, he leaned to extend his hand for the raven-haired Omega now butt-slumped across the sidewalk, and that was when he’d smelled the scent of sweet, ripened peaches. His entire body had seemed to loosen at the joints, feeling like he could easily melt into a puddle of Alpha goo on the street.

“Josh!” Ken doubled, helping the pretty Omega onto his feet. “Oh, gods! I’m so sorry! Do you feel okay? Were you hurt somewhere?

There was a beat of silence as Ken waited for Josh’s acknowledgment, for the Omega was more focused on brushing the dust and dirt off of the hem of his blue oversized sweater and black skinny jeans. Ken gulped as his eyes traveled to the dark fabric which was too alarmingly tight around the length of Josh’s legs. He had wanted to stare more, but Josh was quick to catch his eyes and was a second too late when he tried to avert his gaze.

“Okay? I’m not okay! My takoyakis all over the sidewalk! See?” Josh whined, nostrils flaring as he stomped his black platform boots crisply against the road. “I bought them because I’m hungry, they were freshly grilled! And now there goes my Soju too. Oh no, my poor babies,” Josh sobbed, his lavender eyes swimming in sadness, making his peachy scent slowly turn metallic and smoky.

Ken’s wolf howled inside him at the sudden distress of his Omega and for some reason, Stell’s voice rang loudly within his skull. _Tell him it’s an open bar, that’s it!_

He never would’ve said this out loud but Stell could really be a genius sometimes; Ken wished he could kiss his brain.

“Josh, please don’t cry,” the Alpha said, a little hesitant to reach out for the Omega’s hand but he did so anyway. He couldn’t decide whether to feel bad about the demise of Josh’s takoyakis or to coo at the pretty boy’s adorable sniffles. “Okay, how about this? I’ll take you to Choco Chikin with me now, if you’re free. And you can order whatever you want, it’s on me. Please?”

Josh took one last glance at the wasted takoyakis before glaring back at Ken, his cute button nose already pink after rubbing it with the fluffy sleeve of his sweater. If only Ken knew that if Josh wasn’t so concerned about his snack, he might’ve taken the opportunity and appreciate how Ken looked quite good that moment. _Well not that Josh wasn’t aware_. Of course, he knew Ken was hot, that was why he let Ken see his lavender eyes glow golden that day. 

“Alright, fine Ken. You’re lucky you’re cute today or else my takoyakis would be avenged! And it will be very bad!”

_Okay_ , Josh did have those kinds of moments but he really couldn’t take that back, of course. Besides, he could tell that one unexpected compliment certainly hit Ken hard, and he was almost sure as hell that Ken was aware of how red he was by the way he reached up to his cheeks and squished them a couple of times. If Josh didn’t know better, he would think he could clearly hear his Omega rambling about how _cute and hot_ this Alpha could be.

On the other hand, Ken couldn’t even tell whether Josh was the least bit conscious about what he just said, but then he couldn’t bring himself to care. Seriously, how was it possible for anyone to be so upset and yet look this extremely endearing at the same time? His cheekbones nearly hurt because he couldn’t stop smiling that he actually wished Stell was there with him right now, hide behind his best friend’s shoulder to either screech or faint. _But no_ , he couldn’t afford to do that right now, he’s got a date to score.

It didn’t take them long to clean up the mess they made before they were on their way back to the shop in no time. A pair of bewildered eyes shot up at them the moment Ken yanked the glass door and let the Omega step inside first and helped him settle into the corner table just beside the window.

Intentionally ignoring the sharpness of Stell’s and Ria’s questioning gazes from behind the counter, Ken quickly marched toward the bottom rack of his shelf where he had been safekeeping a gift box during the last three weeks. It was the first time Ken was opening that box and he couldn’t stop feeling giddy and ridiculous as he blushed hard while carefully taking a glass bunny mug out of the package.

Smiling like an idiot, Ken stared proudly at the mug that had a cute white bunny print in front and a quote that said “I’ll melt with you”.

For a few minutes, Ken disappeared behind the machines as he meticulously crafted Josh’s Classic Hot chocolate into the special mug, swirling extra whipped cream on top and adding a bunny-shaped chocolate bar on top of the cream. He handed it to Josh a minute later, together with a platter of Vanilla Peach muffins which he added into the menu just recently. A sheepish smile plastered all over the silver-haired Alpha’s face as he eagerly waited for Josh’s reaction.

“Uh-huh,” Josh said unsurely as he inspected the mug. “Certainly doesn’t look like the ones you use to serve dine-in drinks with.”

“Because it’s especially for you, Peach,” Ken boasted happily, smile growing wider. “Doesn’t it look cute? See this? The little bunny kind of looks like you—”

And Ken’s words faded into thin air after making sense of what he had just said; humming nervously amidst the slowly increasing silence.

“Wait—I’m sorry,” Josh’s eyes narrowed as he spoke. “Can you say that again?”

“Err, the bunny looks like you—“

“No, the one before that.”

“D-doesn’t the mug look c-cute?” the young Alpha stammered, adjusting the fabric of his neckline. Suddenly his palms were damp with sweat.

“What a terrible liar you are. But it’s alright. Allow me to refresh your memory then,” Josh shrugged, carefully placing the warm mug down on the table. “Peach. Ring a bell?”

“You mean, the m-muffins?”

“You. Called. Me. Peach.” Said Josh seriously.

“I—, I did?”

“You did,” he agreed. “So, is that a pet name of some sort?”

“Wha— no! I mean—“

“Shall I return the favor then, hmm? Let’s see,” Josh teased, obviously enjoying the way Ken flustered way. “How about Schmoopie? Or Choco?”

Ken blushed again, his eyes following Josh’s finger resting across his lips when the Omega flicked his fingers to snap and leaned forward, lavender eyes slowly turning gold. “Or should I say…Alpha?”

The last few words were whispered by Josh and the subtle tone of boldness and kittenishness laced between his words had Ken’s insides trembling.

_Gods, oh gods, this must be the most ethereal male to ever exist on the planet; and he’s a big, fat tease too._

Out of the budding dizziness flogging the Alpha’s head, he could only think how much he wanted to push the pretty Omega against the wall and kiss the hell out of him because frankly, Josh’s words shot straight into nowhere else but his crotch; his silver irises unwittingly flickering into orbs of gold and Ken’s scent noticeably spiking up a notch.

Ken was so sure the challenge was there in Josh’s statement and he completely knew what he was doing and all sorts of things it does to Ken. If only the Omega could understand just how close Ken was to grabbing his tiny body and bending him over the coffee table and make him beg for his knot. But of course, _silly him_ , Stell was there right behind him to put Ken back into his rightful state of mind. Ken almost thanked the gods the moment Stell displayed an outrageously dramatic coughing fit, which must be the fakest sound Ken has ever heard, saving the young Alpha’s ass before he could think with his dick and act on something absolutely shameless and regretful.

Ken and Josh nabbed the chance to get over themselves as best as they could, but surely neither could mask the steadily emanating scent of pheromones around the shop. So before he could once again pull off another inappropriate act, Ken politely excused himself and scurried to the counter to at least make himself useful again toward the remaining customers before they finally close the store. Meanwhile, Josh satisfied himself by watching Ken’s every move with both amusement and fondness as he took his sweet time sipping from his quirky bunny mug.

Soon afterward, the last of the customers had left the shop before Stell was already flipping the Open sign to Closed. There was no further questioning needed when Ken threw a knowing glimpse toward his best friend and Ria before both were quickly scampering into the office. As soon as they were gone, Ken inhaled deeply, trying to regain his composure while cheering for himself mentally.

_You’re a pure-blooded Alpha, Suson! You can do this!_

So Ken wheeled around the counter and in a stride or two, he was already pulling a chair in front of Josh ever carefully so, even lifting the piece of furniture as though he was worried about creating the tiniest bit of noise in front of the lovely Omega. And it seemed Josh appreciated the thoughtful gesture by the way he smiled so affectionately at Ken, his cheeks a little flushed. Ken leaned slightly over and noticed that the hot chocolate in the bunny mug was almost gone.

“So uh,” Ken smiled bashfully, clearing his throat. “You’re done with the muffins and almost done with your drink. I take it you liked your meal? I hope.”

“Oh, I sure did. You don’t have to be so formal about it.” Josh chuckled brightly as he gulped the last drops of hot chocolate down. Once done, he forked the bunny-shaped choco bar which he set aside earlier, and pushed it inside his mouth, humming in content as the sweetness coated his tongue. “Thank you. You really didn’t have to be so extra about the whole thing but you did. I really appreciate it.”

“No need to thank me, honestly. I slaughtered your takoyakis after all.”

“Well the muffins are really good Ken! And you even got me three. So you may stop feeling bad about it already,” Josh assured him.

“That’s a relief then,” Ken replied quickly, genuinely pleased. “But if you’ll allow me I’d really, really like to make it up to you.” He added, voice low but hopeful.

Now Josh raised his eyebrows at that statement, confused.

“But you already did?” gesturing a hand at the empty mug and plate. “Whatever might you mean?”

“Let’s just say this meal was for the takoyakis,” Ken explained. “Now the next one’s for the soju I spilled.”

“Oh?” josh hummed quizzically. “Go on. I’m listening.”

There was a faint glint of gold swirling back into Josh’s irises that made Ken panic for a second, nearly forgetting what he was about to ask. Or if he would be honest, he was chickening out yet again. But then, he could’ve sworn something was trying to claw within his chest. _Must be his Alpha_ , wanting to plot murder on Ken should he fail this once more. For the last three weeks, he had let the pretty Omega get away without earning anything aside from his name.

_Now’s the time. Do it you little shit!_

“You—Me—Dinner—Friday—8 PM.” Ken blurted out all of a sudden, making Josh pause and blink several times.

The ripple of silence was a little awkward and it had Ken’s guts clenching in suspense. _Did he really just say that?_ _What if Josh thought it was weird? What if Josh thought he was a creep? Oh gods, please no,_ Ken was about to cry as he waited for Josh’s answer.

But after a moment, the Omega mumbled timidly as well.

“Did you—Did you just ask me out?”

_Way to go Suson!_ Ken cheered mentally as he watched how Josh’s fair skin looked a little flustered, accentuating the lovely purple in his eyes, and Ken was sure it was because of him and that it was something positive. So he made a small, victorious fist pump under the table.

“Uh-huh, guess I did.”

“Uhm, sure. Okay.”

Ken’s eyes grew wide. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Josh repeated, smiling.

It was only a single word;

_Okay._

_OKAY._

But Ken felt like his entire world is crashing down on him soundlessly. He swallowed hard. If only the lovely Omega knew how fast his heart was racing underneath his thick Alpha skin, he would surely laugh at him. Though that wouldn’t be too bad an idea because Ken was living for the Omega’s laugh, his smile, _oh,_ that bunny smile that could make Ken want to just magically pop into an empty room with the pretty boy and just cuddle and kiss his button nose for the rest of the night.

“Wow, okay. Wow. I didn’t—I mean, wow. Okay then. Friday, 8 PM huh?” stammered Ken, his whole face blushing, slowly rubbing the back of his neck. Suddenly, he wanted to do cartwheels.

“What’re you so red for? You’re too cute!”

_Josh called him cute, again._ Ken was sure he was going to faint.

“I—, I ah, can I,”

Josh waited patiently, smiling the whole time. “Ken, it’s alright. It’s just me.”

And as though Ken’s current ordeal wasn’t tormenting him enough, Josh reached out and rested his tiny palm on top of Ken’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

_Ken wasn’t going to faint. He was going to die._

And Josh could probably sense that Ken was running off at the mouth and it wouldn’t be ending anytime soon, he figured he should help.

“Do you like kittens?” Josh asked, though he wasn’t really looking at Ken. Instead, he was looking at his small hand still atop Ken’s bigger one. He rubbed his thumb in circles on Ken’s skin, humming playfully as he did.

“K-kittens?” Ken asked, sounding far too confused at the question and at the ticklish brushing of Josh’s finger on his all at once. “Y-yeah. I love k-kittens.”

Josh leaned closer to Ken, silver and lavender pupils meeting.

“Well, if you give me your number, I promise to spam you with pictures of cute kittens every morning. How does that sound?”

“Y-yes!” answered Ken immediately, his hands trembling to hold Josh’s phone that the Omega slid toward him through the table. Ken felt every inch of his body unbelievably alive as he punched in his own number and called his own phone in order to register Josh’s digits as well. The moment his phone rang and Josh’s number flashed on his screen, his toes curled inward tightly, struggling to fight the urge of screaming his lungs out.

“Well then, I guess I should be going,” Josh said sweetly as he stood up, taking a step closer to Ken, discovering how tall and broad Ken really was next to his frail body. _Josh really liked it,_ especially how ironically vulnerable and shy Ken was in contrast to his Alpha status. Carefully, he tiptoed just a little bit, just close enough for Josh’s soft lips to brush past a tender spot on Ken’s jaw. “Text me,” he added in a breathy whisper.

Ken was left dumbfounded solidly in his spot, unable to move a muscle even until Josh was pulling the glass door and stepping out into the porch, throwing one last glance at Ken before disappearing altogether.

When Ken finally did have the courage to lift a finger, he patted the small area where he could still feel the tingling sensation left by Josh’s plump lips. He no longer battled the deep blush that burst across his face, his thoughts scrambling about everywhere. He clenched a fistful of his shirt right on the spot across his chest, wishing he could steady his heartbeat because he was pretty sure he was about to go into cardiac arrest any minute by the way his heart was madly hammering against his ribs.

_Josh kissed him. Josh, fucking, kissed him._

“Oh my gods,” squealed Ken. “Oh my gods!!!” his face scrunched in all sorts of shapes as he jumped up and down and sprinted toward the office where Stell and Ria gave him the most judgemental gaze in the world, and Ken couldn’t care less.

*


	3. DATE NIGHT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ken asked Josh out for dinner last time, and tonight's the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating right away. Because I got distracted by an accidental AU of mine called Ati Chona (read that if you're having a bad day!) so I was sidetracked but here's chapter 3, finally! So I was hoping to focus more on Peachy and Choco this time so I can complete this fic once and for all.
> 
> Please forgive me for whatever happened on this chapter, I don't know what went through my head. As always, narration heavy and not beta-read.
> 
> ***
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS: With depictions of violence, mentions of blood and murder, uncontrollable anger, groping. Will add more warnings if needed, will update the tags too.

_“_ _Nope.”_

_“Too bright!”_

_“Na-ah.”_

_“Too bland!”_

_“I’ve worn this last week.”_

_“Too purple!”_

_“I have nothing to wear.”_

_“AAAaaaAAAhhh!”_

Josh squealed before dejectedly throwing himself onto his bed in defeat. It was exhausting, dead level, trying on one outfit after another and twirling in front of his life-sized vanity mirror for a thorough inspection for the last two hours. It wasn’t as though he hadn’t worn every single one of those articles of clothing at least once. That was a blatant lie; that part about not having anything to wear. Because in reality, he owned an entire room, or what used to be one before he had it revamped into a fancy walk-in closet, filled with freshly-ironed clothes, where about more than half of it consisted of oversized sweaters and the rest were made up of ripped skinny jeans and undergarments.

He intently focused at the scattered pieces of tops and jeans and scarves of varying prints and linen, his bottom lip trapped between two small fingers and squishing it occasionally while his brain meticulously worked in visualizing some really sassy but unproblematic date-night outfits, pairing one top with a pair of jeans and a pair of heeled boots. His brain would dismiss the thought-out ensemble to produce one more after the other but none of these seemed perfect, or at least appropriate enough; which was funny, since Ken didn't even mention nor give him a hint where he was bringing him to for their cozy, little date. But wherever that may be, Josh just had to look good, and more importantly, sexy for the night. He wanted to look nice for the Alpha on their very first date.

If he was being honest though, what really concerned him more than the outfit was the fact that he’s never ever had to deal with such petty stuff before, like what to wear for this event or which shoes go along with that suit, not until recently. It was absurd because quite the contrary, Omegas of his status never have to worry about the insignificant things. He is Josh Cullen Santos after all, perfection beyond doubt. From his soft, ebony-colored hair, dazzling lavender eyes, fair supple skin, petite frame, and delectable scent of seasoned peaches, Josh could make any Alpha drop on his knees in veneration.

Josh is major-league, that he well knows and acknowledges. There’s no denying that he’s THE Omega amongst all Omegas in town, one that hailed from a superior, purebred clan sought after only by Alphas of the same caliber. Hence the Santos Pack was extremely protective of their kin, each one mated and married to influential, purebred Alphas. He was never one to boast of this privilege, but that didn’t mean he didn’t embrace it.

He’s dated only once, a little over a year ago with a young Alpha who came from the opulent De Dios pack from the neighboring town. And while the said Alpha was an absolute catch in every sense of the word, they just weren’t well-suited for each other; hence the break-up after only a couple of months. Justin de Dios was a nice kid, that’s for sure; a very caring, gentle Alpha for his age and Josh initially thought he would’ve been the perfect choice, but things were just not meant to happen between the two of them. After they’d broken up, Josh continued meeting other people, casually going on dates here and there, but nothing that went too intimate. He wasn’t exactly a prude, he’s definitely far from it, but he knew his boundaries and respected it well.

_Ding! Ding!_

Ah, the high-pitched notification screamed at him back to reality. Josh was, perhaps, daydreaming too much for his own good.

Still plopped on the bed and semi-drowning among the thick heap of clothes, Josh reached underneath one of the overcoats brushing his clothed thigh, since that was where the small vibrations seemed to come from. A little nudge of his pinky instantly tapped on the phone’s casing, yawning as he dragged it away from the mountain of garments. With fingers securely craning against the edges of the gadget, he expertly flipped it up above his face, his pale purple irises slightly blooming at the brightness of his screen. As clichéd as it would’ve sounded, Josh’s heart skipped a beat when the familiar name flashed before his smiling eyes; and he might as well be blushing since the message, whilst short, came from that one Alpha his Omega undoubtedly desired: Ken. 

_♡_ _**Baby Alpha**_ _♡_ **_:_ **

_“Uhm, hello! So, uhh. See you in a bit? (o^ ^o)”_

It was no more than a rather simple message, but the adorable emoji at the end reminded him so much of the silver-eyed young man’s cheeks, and how it would blossom into a pale shade of scarlet against his beautiful bronzed skin whenever he teased him. He could almost hear Ken’s adorable stuttering like he was just there beside him on his bed, scratching his nape in both excitement and bashfulness, a strange combination that worked uniquely for Ken’s boyish charm.

_Ken,_

_Ken._

_Sweet, innocent Ken._

**_Josh:_ **

_“See you later, Alpha! (* ^ ω ^)”_

Josh bit his lip as he awkwardly smiled while he typed his short response; his socked feet dangling along the edge of the bed. He stalled for a moment, staring at the emoji, and shook his head in disbelief before pressing the send button and plopping back down to his mattress. To be honest, he was fairly undecided whether he should blush or shudder in embarrassment by the way he had to use such childish antics yet he still did. It felt good and refreshing at the same time that he could actually see himself doing it many more times if he had to.

You see, Josh was never that type, the excessively sweet, needy and emotional sort of Omega. Not that he doesn’t want an Alpha around him, clearly because of his wolf rank that he has physical needs demanding to be satiated; but in other respects, there was no denying that he’d been alone and self-reliant for so long. He left their house when he turned 18 to finish his studies and pursue a side career in professional gaming which he was most passionate about. He was having the time of his life; that much is true, but as years drove past him, he realized just how swift he was getting older, and along with it was the threshold of finally considering the possibilities of having a mate.

He guessed it wouldn’t hurt to feel coming home to someone who would be patient and gentle with him, who would not hesitate to laugh his heart out and flirt the hell out of him at all times in all places, someone soft to kiss and cuddle within his huge and cold bed, but also strong and brave to keep him safe and unhurt. Looks and stability would definitely be great additions to the relationship but not entirely important.

With all these in mind, there was only one man that could potentially, even almost surely, qualify in all these aspects. As hard as Josh tried not to let Ken invade his thoughts too much, he couldn’t help but feel some swell of pride in him, knowing that without even meaning to, Ken possessed all those traits that the Omega has ever wanted in an Alpha. His wolf has known about it the moment he stepped inside Ken’s coffee shop, and the deep longing to have someone in his life, and in his bed, warm him up and unconditionally provide him the pleasure of an intimate bond, happily share heat and rut cycles with, share worries and responsibilities when times get rough.

It might be a little too early, but there was no point in denying his truth, the truth that he wanted those things with Ken and more, and his wolf could feel the mutual attraction and yearning within. He hadn’t felt such feverish desire with anyone, at least his eyes have yet to experience changing shades roused by intense attraction toward another man until Ken came along. Whether the young Alpha would prefer to take things slow or intense, Josh would be eager to yield without questions. He wanted Ken, come hell or high water.

_Ding! Ding!_

_♡_ _**Baby Alpha**_ _♡_ **_:_ **

_“I will be there in 30 minutes! Let me know if you need more time, alright pretty Peach_ (^v^)

**_Josh:_ **

_“Oh no! I haven’t decided what to wear yet Alpha. I'm feeling ugly and unsexy tonight (×_ _﹏_ _×)_

_♡_ _**Baby Alpha**_ _♡_ **_:_ **

_Hey :( That's not true. You are the prettiest Omega in the whole, wide world! Don't be sad now. Just wear whatever's comfortable and you’ll rock it! Okay? (´_ _∀_ _` *)_

**_Josh:_ **

_But I want to look prettier for my Alpha! (_ _╯_ ___ _╰_ _)_

_♡_ _**Baby Alpha**_ _♡_ **_:_ **

_But you’ll always be the prettiest to me, sweet Peach. But if you’re really having a hard time, then may I just say that you look absolutely divine in white! (•ө•)_ _♡_

**_Josh:_ **

_Ooh white? You really think so? (ᵔ.ᵔ)_

_♡_ _**Baby Alpha**_ _♡_ **_:_ **

_Positive! White brings the violet in your eyes uwu (//ω//)_

**_Josh:_ **

_Aww, you even noticed that? That’s really sweet of you Alpha! (//_ _▽_ _//)_

_♡_ _**Baby Alpha**_ _♡_ **_:_ **

_Of course! How can any Alpha not pay attention to the most beautiful Omega?_ _(´ ω `_ _♡_ _)_

**_Josh:_ **

_Then white it is! Thank you, Alpha! I’ll go get ready. Please take care! (_ _◠_ _‿_ _・_ _)—_ _☆_

_♡_ _**Baby Alpha**_ _♡_ **_:_ **

_I will, sweets, thank you! See you! (/_ _▿_ _＼_ _)_

There was a sudden flare of Joy in the Omega’s chest, hopes soaring as he pressed his phone flat against his chest and let his cheeks feel the homely warmth Ken’s messages brought him. He’d let out a long, breathy sigh before finally lifting himself off the bed and pulling out the first white sweater his hand could grab onto.

*

Josh and Ken were walking a couple of inches next to each other along the night alley, taking on the cold breeze tainted with the sweet scent of peaches and strong dark chocolate that the Omega found warm and pleasing. Despite the number of people on either side of the bustling streets further illumined by a mile-long line of streetlamps, celebrating the fruitful end of the week with beers and barbecue, platefuls of Yakitori and bowls of steaming hot ramen, Josh and Ken didn’t seem to mind these at all.

One lungful breath of air by the young Alpha and he could almost taste the pea soup-thick air that had the beginning crisp of the forthcoming winter, but what made it even richer was the blend of the fresh scent of a generous bunch of Chamomile flowers beautifully wrapped in cream cotton paper and vintage kraft paper that was adorned with a pretty black and gold bow, and Josh’s sweet natural peachy scent that made Ken’s eyes roll when the perfume wafted over to his nostrils through the carrying breeze. The raven-haired boy cradled the delicate bunch of blooms pressed against his chest, as he leaned in every so often to take a whiff of its mellowed fragrance. Josh was a vision, and the silver-haired Alpha was nothing less than captivated.

Josh smiled as he smelled the tiny flowers, and as his mind supplied him the memory from a few minutes ago. The Omega had just finished fixing himself up when Ken showed up at his apartment with a lovely bouquet of chamomile he struggled to hide behind his back, but of course, Josh was quick to point it out and the Alpha had to hand over the bouquet shyly and giggled as his cheeks turned a faint pink. But Ken easily turned a darker shade of red when he finally took in Josh’s appearance and the Omega mentally cheered in satisfaction.

Josh wore a cream cashmere pullover underneath a white soft denim jacket and custom-tailored black skinny jeans that hugged his shapely ass and legs. The stretchable fabric skimmed its way down to the shins and ended just a little below where his black leather combat boots begin. He also didn’t feel the need to wear much makeup, buffing on only a thin veil of powder all over his face and a delicate swipe of pinkish lip balm completed his look. Knowing that Ken stared at him appreciatively, he allowed the mesmerized Alpha to soak everything in until he had to snap his fingers in front of his face and Ken just had to look away to hide his endless fluster.

As the Omega stepped out of his apartment, he stuck his head out and looked over left and right, brows curling in the middle at the absence of something he thought should’ve been there at least, like a vehicle perhaps.

“What’s wrong?” asked the young Alpha, as he observed the slight frown on the Omega’s face.

Josh cleared his throat and forced his face into a naïve-looking one despite the confusion. “Oh, it’s nothing! Hey, uhm, so where’s the car?”

“Car?” Ken gawked at Josh innocently, his brows rose high up his forehead. The familiar shyness began creeping up his system again and it made him look at his feet, tapping his mocha suede boots against the pavement unconsciously. “I didn’t bring any. You see, I know this really good place and really good food just around the curve. And the breeze tonight is quite nice so I thought we could walk and have a little chat until we get there. What do you think?” 

To be honest, Josh was a little bewildered at the confession. He had been living in this quiet little town for almost a decade and knew every restaurant and eatery around the place like the back of his hand. He would’ve coaxed Ken further into revealing where he actually was planning to take Josh to. However, seeing Ken’s nervous smile and adorably red face made all the inhibitions inside his head melt. In the end, all he could do was shrug his shoulders and say screw it, take me wherever you want to take me, but of course, he would rather die before he’s caught having to say that out loud.

Josh still had his nose affectionately buried into the nest of fragrant blossoms, feeling satisfied at the brickle sound of the kraft paper scrunching between his dainty fingers. He had his eyes sliding close at each whiff, seemingly unable to stop himself from getting high on the sweetness emanating from the delicate white and yellow buds when he felt Ken’s large hand moved flat at the small of his back, guiding him into a corner and into a very familiar alley, which wasn’t exactly very far away from his apartment.

Josh knew the place all too damn well, because how could he not when he spent a good number of his High School years spending his meager savings on rock-bottom-priced meals along this area almost every day for about half a decade?

_Is this a joke,_ Josh had wanted to ask but since he wasn’t entirely sure about the situation, he chose to keep mum while he continued trailing a little behind the Alpha in small, suspicious steps. The Omega silently prayed to brush his speculations away, that he wouldn’t be taken into one of these cheap, greasy eateries that he had sworn never to come back to with all the remaining years of his life.

Well that was definitely going a bit overboard but not completely false. The dirt-cheap diners on this side of town saved Josh during his struggling school years since he didn’t have much money with him when he left home. He had to make do with whatever he had to survive while finishing his studies. Thus somehow, he owed the string of diners here with his life, but now that he’s been doing well and earning properly from his professional gaming career, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to expect something on a similar level and from an Alpha who’s apparently trying to win an Omega’s favor, and eventually his heart.

So yes, Josh was expecting so much more than this. After all, a purebred Omega should only expect the best from another purebred Alpha. Josh was keen on mumbling some sort of chant stuck on his barely moving lips, but when Ken had stopped on his tracks, the Omega felt his skin crawl.

“Well,” the Alpha proudly said as they stopped in front of “Cock-A-Doodle-Doos Diner”. “Here we are!”

_Huh—_

“O-oh! Hehe,” the lavender-eyed Omega stammered before swallowing the lump inside his throat. “We are?”

“We most definitely are!” Ken declared happily. “I had a table reserved for us because the lady Beta owner here is very kind! She’s also a regular at Choco Chikin. Come on!”

Josh’s Omega wanted to howl inside of him in protest. Exactly what on gods’ earth were they doing at this twenty-year-old chicken and chicken, and more chicken pit stop that had a colossal amount of recycled grease served than the actual chicken meat that went along with a free glass of red tea that tasted more like salted pedicure water? _Rats!_ was Josh’s only thought and he wanted to throw up. But how could he? When the young Alpha was already dragging him inside excitedly and settled themselves in an isolated table just beside the kitchen, where the stench of oil and thick billow of charcoaled smoke steadily emanated from and straight past into Josh’s nostrils, making his stomach churn.

Keeping his concentration alternately between the bundle of pretty flowers resting on their small dining table and Ken’s marvelous silver-eyes, the Omega had somehow successfully leveled his growing irritation and disappointment and surprisingly, even found himself becoming fond when, while waiting for their order, Ken started telling his embarrassing stories in this particular diner. How he and his best friend Stell would treat each other now and then for whenever they lost to a friendly bet. There was something with the way Ken lit up as he cheerfully, sometimes timidly, talked about his childhood dream of opening up a coffee shop because of his undying love for sweet beverages, and how strangely coming up with its name Choco Chikin, because of his adoration for chicken.

Josh internally smirked at the revelation, quietly acknowledging it as the sole explanation why they even ended up at this diner in the first place. Ken had been talkative for the rest of their meal, sometimes managing to blurt out some words with his mouth stuffed with chicken and fries, making his cheeks inflate adorably so. And when Ken distractedly smeared a dab of chicken sauce at the corner of his lips, Josh was unable to keep it to himself and held his pinky out, gently wiping the reckless sauce away from the Alpha’s lips and ridding of it on a clean sheet of napkin.

“T-thank you,” the young Alpha smiled, pushing his shyness away. “I’m sorry, I’m so messy when I eat.”

“You don’t need to apologize for being messy,” Josh assured him with a smile. “I think it’s very cute.”

Ken turned red and so did Josh, not knowing how both were too enthralled by each other’s beauty and presence as they continued exchanging stories, their passion, and future plans. They were smiling so widely at each other, especially the young Alpha, whose cheekbone rose so high that his lovely doe eyes squinted into cute little curves. Josh thought Ken was stunning, beautiful, even with his bare face and slightly unkempt hair, simple clothing, and his animated laugh that could brighten up anyone’s day. Ken was just remarkably attractive in every way.

They were both so engrossed in each other’s company that neither of them realized the two plates of spicy wings and a bucket of soggy fries, plus the whole three hours that quickly passed them by, drowned away by banters and endless laughter. The diner got emptier the longer they stayed until it held only the two of them and the owner politely advised them that it was time to go. They split the bill, because the Omega insisted so, even though it wasn’t much but Josh felt light and merry with the warm domesticity of the night.

The raven-haired boy would be lying if he’d say he didn’t enjoy the night despite his disapproval of the place because he certainly did and more; which was why he exclaimed a sincere and ecstatic _Yes!_ when the young Alpha timidly asked him whether he had a great time. However, all the fun and excitement swiftly dropped a weight on the Omega’s shoulders when the Alpha asked him out again curtly to spend another dinner soon at the same place.

Having said that, Josh knew he had to be uncompromising at that point.

“I really enjoyed talking to you, Ken,” he started after taking in a deep breath for courage. Josh wasn’t sure whether he sounded as earnestly as he could but he tried his best not to upset the kind Alpha. “But let me be honest? I don’t like this place at all.”

“O-oh,” Ken was obviously caught off-guard by the statement and quickly lowered his head in embarrassment. “I see.”

“Ken, listen. I’m not just any Omega. I’m Josh. Cullen. Santos. Santos Clan from West City. And I’m sure you’ve heard of my pack since you’re also a purebred like I am.” Josh ensured to emphasize every word for conviction and by the look, he could see from Ken’s eyes that he was aware of the subject. The young Alpha continued looking down as the Omega spoke sincerely.

“We are purebloods, Ken. I only date purebred Alphas too, and you are NOT the only Alpha courting me right now. I don’t mind being taken to non-five-star restaurants, but at least don’t take me to a grease factory at the back of my apartment that’s basically a hole-in-the-wall for broke college students. Look, I dressed pretty and even wore lip balm for you, see?”

Ken remained silent, because truth be told, he had already been feeling bad knowing he screwed up his first date and that he could’ve actually prevented the current situation.

> _Earlier that day, Stell and Ria had been berating him non-stop once he told him of his plans of bringing Josh over to Cock-A-Doodle-Doos Diner, how a cheap and basic eatery wasn’t even half suitable to spend a first date with the Omega you’re courting; “Don’t half-ass your first date, idiot!” Stell had scolded him effectively, but Ken simply shut him down._
> 
> _“Why don’t you take Josh to a Sushi bar instead? There’s a new one downtown, and I’ve heard from some friends they serve really good Sushi and Yakimono too!” Ria had suggested but Ken only dismissed her with a wave of his hand._
> 
> _He knew which bar she was talking about and he was sure as hell it’d cost him an arm and a leg. In the end, his friends gave up and the young Alpha scoffed at how they were being too overly dramatic about his date. Besides, he absolutely loved that diner’s chicken! And it’s quite cheap too. You could never go wrong with an affordable superb glazed chicken!_

“YOU are a pureblood and I’m pretty sure you can do better than this, Ken. If you want this premium ass, then you better try harder puppy.” Josh smirked, but the glint of challenge in his eyes was evident.

Sadly, it seemed that Ken didn’t entirely get the memo for when the Alpha spoke back, his tone was a little too defensive than Josh would’ve liked.

“Hey, who are you calling a pup?”

There was a beat of silence after that.

_Seriously?_

“Out of everything I said, of course, that’s the only thing you are concerned about—”

“I’m not a pup. Take it back!” and Ken was already pouting.

If Josh was going to take the Alpha’s childish tantrums sternly, annoyance would’ve washed over him like a hot wave of lava by now. He didn’t exactly have the tolerance of a saint, and gods knew how much of a scandalmonger he could be and he could go on for days. Yet by some means or other, Josh just couldn’t bring himself to be irked by Ken’s behavior, rather, he found himself getting amused. It seemed the young Alpha wasn’t mindful of how endearing and strangely hot he could be at whatever he does.

“Aww, did I make the puppy mad?” Josh asked, throwing a sneering gaze at the silver-eyed boy. “You know, you can’t keep your age from me. What’re you? 20? 21? Hmm, baby Alpha?”

“I’m 24! So don’t call me that!” Ken growled, puffing his chest out in dominance. “I’m every inch a man-Alpha. I’m bigger and stronger than you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, pup.” The Omega rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers in Ken’s face thrice, making the Alpha frown deeper.

“And how about you? You’re so frail and tiny, you look like a 12-year old, itty bitty Omega!”

The Omega’s cheeks turned pink, mortified, and sore.

“Oh, is that right you little shit?” Josh hissed, cocking an eyebrow. “Then you can probably stop looking forward to your second date because there won’t be one anymore!”

At that instant, Ken froze in his spot; panic clouding his eyes and it didn’t go unnoticed by the playful Omega. So he thought about dragging it just a little bit more for fun. Josh turned on his heels and started walking away from Ken. And when he heard the small gasp, Josh knew he had already won.

“W-wha—wait! Hold up!” Ken shrieked from behind. “That’s not fair. I was just kidding!”

Josh smirked before turning to look above his shoulder and stifled a smile, seeing the Alpha chasing after him. “Kidding my ass!” he blurted out, feigning displeasure in his voice. But when Josh turned the other away again, he couldn’t stop smiling.

“Oh hey no! Josh! Come on, don’t be like that. I’m sorry!”

Ken continued whining and stomping as he ran after the feisty Omega, ignoring the amused glances of passers-by thrown at them, until they rounded the corner and back into Josh’s apartment.

*

Ken was supposed to drop the Omega off at his apartment after that little spectacle of a drama on the streets, but Josh had another thing in mind. The older grabbed on to Ken’s hand and went running past his apartment block, the midnight breeze slamming into their faces like a flimsy sheet of ice that gnawed at their cheeks. It turned Josh’s pale skin pinker, and Ken thought he looked like a golden age work of art that he could never ever paint in his lifetime.

They kept on running off a few more meters, going past a couple more small establishments along the area, and quickly halting at the nearest convenience store for some ice cream. They remained by the store’s entrance as they briefly stopped to catch their breaths and laughed, white steam starting to pour from their mouths, before pushing the heavy glass door and stepping inside the even colder space.

“I’ll go grab some chips at the back,” Josh said softly, pinching the side of Ken’s tummy mischievously that made the Alpha flinch and blush. “Please wait for me here.”

“S-sure. Call me if you need anything.”

Josh smiled and skipped his way to the opposite aisle in a few elegant strides, scanning back and forth amongst the rows and rows of various snacks and dips on display. He hesitated to look up, snorting in the process upon the realization that his favorite brand of chips was deposited on the top-most shelf, and despite the one inch and a half thick sole of his black combat boots, he was still unable to reach them. Tiptoeing and stretching his limbs as best as he could, his fingers slightly brushed on the bag, just a little more push and he could—

“Here you go, sweetheart,” an unfamiliar baritone voice spoke behind him, the sound of which came too uncomfortably close to his ear that he could almost feel the air of his breath lingering on his nape, and Josh hated it at once. The bag of chips he was reaching for was nearly shoved into his face. “You’re welcome.”

The Omega ignored the bag of chips that the stranger, who was clearly an Alpha, impudently offered. For over a second, Josh took in the Alpha’s appearance and deduced how the years seemed to be fairly unkind to the man; he was balding at the temples and the remaining strands of hair were in light hues of gray, dark auburn teeth that looked like he smoked a dozen packs a day and drank nothing but wicked low-grade alcohol. Heck, he could even smell the reek of it from his putrid breath and Josh wanted to cover his nose to keep himself from gagging. He’d smelled enough rot for today.

“No thank you. You can have that,” Josh said nonchalantly, reaching for a different bag of snacks instead.

Once he had gotten a couple of finger foods of his choice, he prepared to leave, but he shuddered and almost jumped when the same item came hurling into the air and smacked Josh crisply and right onto his nape, coupled with the unwelcomed contact of the man’s large and filthy hand that landed directly on his ass. He growled when the same hand gave his butt a rough squeeze.

“Ooh, frisky are we, sweetheart?” the stranger Alpha laughed, not taking his hand off of Josh’s behind.

In his sudden fume of anger, Josh took one step back, eyes sliding into thin slits and his sharp canines bared from his gums, he grabbed the Alpha’s calloused hand resting obnoxiously across his ass, gripping against it like wrought-iron, anchoring the other leg securely on his spot as he deftly swiveled the other leg with all his might. He twisted the huge tattooed arm as hard and as ruthlessly as he could until an agonizing howl of pain and the crisp cracking of bone reverberated throughout the empty aisle.

The balding man dropped on one knee, holding his fractured arm while sputtering curses in between sobs and hisses before growling hysterically at Josh. “You bitch!”

Josh hadn’t noticed the sudden thick surge of bittersweet chocolate scent that washed over him from behind, and the Omega was a second too late to hold the angry Alpha back. Ken was already running past Josh in a fluttering haze, the silver-haired Alpha’s eyes glowing an evil red, clearly outraged and primed for murder.

In one brief stride, Ken was dragging the other Alpha up by the collar of his grubby old shirt and tackling him on the tiled floor. A gush of smoldering fury like nothing he had ever felt incinerated inside him, rippling the veins all over his body. Ken didn’t see what happened, but the moment he smelled Josh’s peach scent turning sour and metallic, even from that distance, he knew HIS Omega was in distress, and he couldn’t think of anything else but to hurt and destroy whatever and whoever caused his grief.

He pinned the man down with one hand tightly screwed around his neck, his fingers leaving red and white prints on his aged skin. He continued holding him down for even when the older man was larger than him, Ken’s anger fuelled him uncontrollably. He balled his fists, shaking in furor, and plummeted it down on the other Alpha’s nose once, twice, growling until his own fist hurt, bluish-purple welts and specks of blood covering his knuckles.

Ken would’ve decapitated him, had not several pairs of hands stopped and pulled him back, almost dragging him away with every ounce of strength required to pacify an Alpha that’s on the verge of going dangerously feral. The next thing he knew, Josh already had his hands around Ken, his cheek rubbing against Ken’s and soothing him with his sweet peach scent, his small dainty hands rubbing tender circles on his back.

“Hey, hey Ken, look at me Alpha,” Josh whispered softly, begging for the angry Alpha’s attention. “It’s okay, it’s okay now. I’m okay. Calm down.”

“I’m gonna fucking rip your head off!” Ken growled at the slumped bloody figure of the man on the floor, and Josh’s hands tightened around his middle more. Josh had silently addressed the convenience store staff and security guard to take the douchebag away before his alpha kills him, before moving off away from the slowly building crowd and toward the exit. As soon as they were outside, Josh had his arms wrapped around Ken again, this time, Josh felt Ken’s strong arms encircle his waist back. His breathing was still uneven and rapid, his muscles tensed and slightly trembling.

They stayed that way a little longer, keeping each other warm in the dead of night.

Finally, Ken seemed less likely to go berserk again, but still obviously a threat to anyone who dared approach them, Josh most especially. Ken’s breathing seemed to have gone back to its steady rhythm, and the small Omega within his embrace shuddered a little when he felt a hand gently combing Josh’s hair. When they pulled back, all the Omega felt was warm breath against his cold, shivering skin. The growling wasn’t there anymore, the wolf inside Ken had tamed.

When Josh tilted his head up, his lavender eyes searching Ken’s face, he was met with a pair of calm and familiar shades of silver; the tiny specks of feral red swirling about them fading, until it was completely gone.

His Alpha was back, and the comforting scent of dark chocolate crawled over his skin quickly and he purred in satisfaction. The Omega smiled, reaching toward Ken’s cheek with a slightly trembling hand. They both purred when the Alpha leaned into his soft touch, nuzzling against Josh’s hand and a small sigh escaped both their lips.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Ken whimpered, as though he was asking for forgiveness. “We didn’t get the ice cream too. If you want, we can get back—“

“Ken, it’s okay,” Josh whispered, pressing their heads together in the midst of the cold. “Everything’s okay.”

And truth be told, it was. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! For those who are not quite familiar with the Omegaverse, let me share this wattpad link to serve as your guide to this intricate but wonderful trope in the world of fanfiction. LOL.
> 
> https://www.wattpad.com/546924059-the-unofficial-guide-to-the-omegaverse-basic/page/2
> 
> Feel free to slide me a DM on Twitter for any questions :D


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